


The dance

by thevaliantdust



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-08
Updated: 2016-02-08
Packaged: 2018-05-18 23:09:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5946826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thevaliantdust/pseuds/thevaliantdust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It makes sense that in these last moments he’d return to what he knows, to the fanciful trade of words that thrums in his veins like lifeblood. </p>
<p>Gilmore wakes in Vax's arms. A short fic for tumblr user swanofmischief.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The dance

There are rough roguish fingers threading through his hair, and for the briefest of moments he thinks maybe this is just another far-too-familiar dream. The soft, whispered “Gil”, the warmth of his head cradled in a welcoming lap. He knows this scene. Next will come the kiss, gentle and questioning, bodies shifting to meet one another. The kiss will deepen, fingers twining passionately in luscious locks, ragged, needy words breathed into the kiss, and then-

The fingers snag in the blood-matted hair at his temple and the many aches and pains come rushing in at once, all clamoring to be noticed first. This is no dream.

Funny, though, he never thought death would hurt so much. Guess it’s time to see what exactly the afterlife has in store.

His eyes slowly blink open- a monumental effort- and the world is a mess of colour and light. Far more gradually than he’d like, his eyes focus in on a very worried, tear-streaked half-elven face.

Vax’ildan.

A tangible wave of relief loosens the tension in his body and his head lulls a little to the side. Immediately, he feels a gentle hand steadying his head, soft fingers stroking his cheek.

He can’t bear the anguish on Vax’s face, so he summons up the energy to crack a smile.

“Well,” he begins, watching a spark of hope flicker in the unwavering eyes meeting his, “it’s always what I assumed I’d see in my last moments.” He chuckles to himself, realising his humour is possibly a little too on-the-nose.

Vax doesn’t laugh along, but the darkness in his face lifts enough for Gilmore to recognise the heart that he loves so much about this man.

“Bad day, huh?”

Those flippant words bring a new ache to his chest, entirely different from the knitted-together wounds which throb with the heat of fresh healing. If he were thinking less about Vax, perhaps he’d put two and two together and figure out they equal ‘not dead’. But all he knows in this moment is that those three words are thick with meaning he could spend a lifetime decoding.

This is their dance. It makes sense that in these last moments he’d return to what he knows, to the fanciful trade of words that thrums in his veins like lifeblood.

And he knows, he remembers their conversation such a short time ago. Vax’s face aching with the echo of possibilities they’d never see. His yearning to be better than he thought himself to be, when in truth he was already the very best of man. The first and final kiss which had consumed his mind ever since. The dance was over- is over.

But if, in these last moments, his mind sees fit to grant him this tiny mercy, who is he to turn from this gift?

So he broadens his smile and meets Vax’ildan’s tearful gaze once more. Let them dance one final time.

“Strangely enough, I’m pretty sure I’ve had worse.”


End file.
